Research line

Automatic Control

The AUTOMATIC CONTROL line develops basic and applied research in
automatic control, with special emphasis on modelling,
control and supervision of nonlinear, complex and/or large-scale
systems.
The group has acquired specific expertise in the application of
advanced control techniques to environmental resources management,
specifically in the water and energy fields.

Facilities

Modelling and control of complex nonlinear systems

In order to design controllers for complex nonlinear systems, it is fundamental
to have mathematical models of the systems' dynamic behaviour. Regarding
dynamic modelling of complex nonlinear systems, the Control Group focuses on
four subjects: models for multidomain systems using PHS formulation;
distributed parameter models and their order reduction; experimental
characterisation techniques combining the use of time and frequency responses
of the dynamic system, conceived as diagnosis tools; the design of observers to
be integrated in the control systems in order to improve the system performance
and minimise the number of sensors. Regarding control system design, the work
is based on the following advanced control techniques: passivity-based control,
Optimal Control, Model Predictive Control, Variable Structure Control (VSC) and
Linear Parameter Varying (LPV)-Robust Control.

Modelling and control of large-scale networked systems

In automation, it is more and more frequent to deal with large scale
networked systems which are composed by a multitude of elements of diverse
dynamical nature. Obtaining a mathematical model oriented to the management and
control of such systems should take into account their real time operation and
complex topology. Moreover, complementary considerations such as physical
constraints, hybrid behaviour and bounded disturbances are also challenging
topics in the study of this kind of systems.

A large variety of real-time resource allocation problems dealing with
long- and medium-term resources management typically appear in public services
and industry. Some examples are water management (both surface and pipeline
systems), energy generation and distribution, and environmental planning. The
operation of these systems requires dealing with multiple, heterogeneous
constraints. Not just physical constraints are to be met, but also those
imposed by regulations, operational practices, economy, ecology, etc. The
overall aim is to step away from the classical trial-and-error-based simulation
approach and create real problem-solving tools for optimal management of
large-scale resources management problems.

Real-time Supervisory Control, Fault Diagnosis and Fault-Tolerance

Reliability is a feature required in modern control systems which implies the
introduction of fault diagnosis and fault tolerant control modules that allow
to know in real-time if there is any non-desired behaviour (fault) and activate
some remedial action in order to keep the system in operation (fault
tolerance). Complementary aspects as sensor/actuator location for achieving the
desired fault diagnosis and tolerance are also addressed.

Applied Research

Theoretical knowledge is applied in real cases, in close collaboration with
industry. Currently, research is mainly focused on four fields: modelling and
control of systems based on Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells based systems;
modelling, control and management of electrical networks; design of optimal
operational management of networked systems related to the urban water cycle
and sensor data validation/reconstruction of instrumentation systems. The
Control Group gives primary importance to the tasks of implementation and
experimental validation of the proposed control and modelling methodologies.
These final stages of the control design process are developed either in the
industry or at the Institute's Laboratories: the Fuel Cells Laboratory and the
Water Cycle Control Systems Lab.

These are the latest research projects of the Automatic Control research line:

N. Quijano, C. Ocampo-Martínez, J. Barreiro-Gomez, G. Obando, A. Pantoja and E. Mojica-Nava. The role of population games and evolutionary dynamics in distributed control systems. IEEE Control Systems, 2016, to appear.

M. Pourasghar, V. Puig and C. Ocampo-Martínez. Characterization of the minimum detectable fault of interval observers by using set-invariance theory, 3rd International Conference on Control and Fault Tolerant Systems, 2016, Barcelona, IEEE, to appear.

V. Puig, C. Ocampo-Martínez and R. Negenborn. Model predictive control for combined water supply and navigability/sustainability in river systems. In Transport of Water versus Transport over Water, 13-33. Springer, 2015.

Fuel Cell Control Laboratory

The objective of the Laboratory is the validation and testing of control
strategies of fuel cell based energy conversion systems. The facilities are
equipped with a supervisor system which monitors necessary safety conditions.
Each of the five fuel cell test stations is equipped with the necessary sensors
and actuators to be able to operate in a safe and automated way, as well as to
modify the working conditions that affect a fuel cell (humidity, temperature,
flow, etc.).

Water-cycle Control Systems Laboratory

The aim of this laboratory is to test and validate modelling and control
developments for dynamic systems associated to the water cycle. Hence, it
provides platforms of pressure, flow and level processes, over which it is
possible to implement real-time advanced control strategies. This laboratory is
also open to offer services to other teams in the research community.